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When the Port of Baltimore was shut down after a cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Dan Flaherty knew what was coming.
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Dan Flaherty, vice president, warehousing, logistics and ports at Schneider Logistics
Provided by Schneider National
Schneider National’s executive and port services and logistics team soon received a rush of calls and emails from frantic shippers looking for options to move cargo away from the disaster area.
While Flaherty said his team is experienced in handling a crisis, the situation created by the Key Bridge disaster was unique.
“We haven’t seen anything quite like this before,” Flaherty told Trucking Dive. The company’s Vice President of Warehousing, Warehousing and Port Logistics said severe weather or labor disputes offer early warning signs so adjustments can be made to mitigate problems.
But an abrupt shutdown of a major port meant that shippers would want a quick response both to divert cargo bound for Baltimore and solutions to retrieve cargo sitting at the port awaiting delivery.
After numerous inquiries from shippers, Flaherty recognized an opportunity and worked with the carrier’s marketing team to quickly develop an email campaign detailing Schneider’s catalog of logistics services, including draayage and storage. The carrier is first Stop navigation port The email was released a few hours after the incident and was followed up with subsequent emails.
Flaherty said the response to the campaign led to new drayage activities and discussions about the carrier’s other services to existing customers. Most Schneider shipments originally destined for Baltimore before the incident were diverted to Norfolk, Va., he said.
The positive outcome of the email campaign did not surprise Jonathan Phares, assistant professor of supply chain management at Iowa State University. He noted that Schneider wisely framed its marketing against the backdrop of the collapse to expand its customer base.
“With channel closures and freight diversion occurring following the collapse, shippers are undoubtedly looking for alternative shipping methods,” he wrote in an email to Trucking Dive. “I believe it is smart for Schneider to increase and focus its marketing efforts on shippers who may need these services.”
Flaherty said diversion requests from Schneider customers were busiest in the first 10 days after the incident, but have decreased somewhat. While efforts are being made to to reopen the port by the end of Mayit may be another 60 to 90 days after that before Schneider’s customers resume normal levels of activity in Baltimore, he said.
Flaherty said communication is an essential part of providing good service. He said Schneider was overall satisfied with her response to the Baltimore situation, but also sees it as an opportunity to improve processes.
“We develop and refine our book around holidays like this,” Flaherty said. “We want to make sure we’re ready to help customers solve these challenges.”